The Circle Diverges
by Ginerva not Virginia
Summary: Is time one ever flowing circle only ever going one way? Is our present the only one or is our present a circle in a field of circles all branching off one another? Albus is convinced that there is more than one version of the present while Rose knows it is not possible. Thanks to James, Al might just win an argument against Rose. HP/GW RW/HG NL/LL JSP/OC
1. Chapter 1

For those reading my other fic I'm working on it now and hopefully will have it up soon.

If I owned Harry Potter I'd be touring Europe right now not working nonstop.

Enjoy!

James stood as if frozen, a small hourglass encircled by two bands of silver and gold glinting in his hands. It would be so easy, a couple of turns and it never happened. There would be no need to worry about growing up. No responsibility shoved into his lap that he was nowhere near prepared for. There would be no one relying on him, no one expecting him to have the answers. He could be James Potter, prankster extraordinaire, who went to parties and never took life to serious. He could spend time with his girlfriend, and take his sweet time to decide what he wanted to do with his life. And best yet, he would not have to tell his parents that at 18 years old, he was going to be a father. His father, almost 40 years old would not be told that he would be a grandfather for the third time. Harry loved his grandchildren but he did not appreciate being made a grandfather before his six older brothers.

The fading light glinted temptingly off of the time turner as he sat in the window seat in the Potter family library. This seat was always Ally's favorite since she was small even though she occasionally had to fight Rose for it. Having acquired the turner from his Aunt's study nearly two weeks ago, James had considered using it on his own, but that would have been disrespectful to Ally. It was her choice, her child too. So for the past two weeks, he had considered every possible way of telling her, how to propose such an idea. He had no idea on her thoughts on the matter as the eighteen year old had fled from the Room of Requirements, tears in her eyes, shortly after announcing she was pregnant. She had then proceeded to ignore him, an easy feat as he was doing the same.

Their families worried a bit as he an Ally had always been good friends but they had left it for him and Ally to sort through. Neither her family nor his had known their friendship had shifted into a relationship nearly a year ago. They had gotten together at the start of summer, after sixth year, when Ally's idiot boyfriend had slept with another girl, a scene she had witnessed. She had fled to James' home, and spent the night wrapped in his arms. The next morning the other Potters assumed she had crashed in one of the guest rooms that usually had one family member or another occupying it, when she did not want to wake one of the girls. They happily let them assume, not bothering to correct them. A week later they had went on their first date. A small smile crossed James' lips as her remember that disaster. Merlin only knows how he got so lucky. He wondered idly if this was how his parents felt, how his aunts and uncles felt. Seventh year had a blissful year of secret meetings, passed notes and stolen kisses. Shortly before graduation, they had begun sharing a bed whenever they could disappear long enough without raising suspicions. Just weeks before graduation, barely two months before their futures were to begin; all plans were violently derailed in one brief, awkward late-night meeting.

The door open slowly and James stood placing the turner next to him, knowing it would be Ally as the rest of the Potters were at the Burrow for the weekly family dinner. A slim willowy figure slipped into the room, her long black hair in a plait down her back. Her hair, inherited from her grandmother Alice, was one of his favorite features along with her shining gray-blue eyes, a combination from her grams and her mother, Luna. She had a lot of features from Neville but the way she carried herself screamed Lovegood. Her arms wrapped around him as she slammed into him, forcing him to sit. Now at nine weeks pregnant, James could feel a small bump. His heart jumped, his child, that little bump was his baby. A weird surge of pride coursed through him as he held her close, his child and his girl.

"Sshh, Ally. It's alright. I'm sorry I didn't say anything, didn't write or call. Forgive me love?" James whispered softly, his hands rubbing comforting circles on her back.

"Only if you forgive me, I shouldn't have just run away. It's not like I gave you a chance to say anything." Her wide gray-blue eyes bore into his hazel ones and he could see the barley contained terror in them. He nodded his assent, giving her a quick peck. "We are alright," she said with a sigh, tension leaving her body.

"Of course Ally. I love you, no matter what." James whispered softly as she extradited herself from his grasp. She played with the end of her braid as she began to pace, her face contorted with worry.

"I don't know if I can do this Jamie. I can't be a mother at 18. I just finished my Newts. I was accepted into Healer Academy, the one in Germany; the one that Aunt Hermione would have given her right arm to get into. I don't know if I can sacrifice it all for our child Jamie. I would be all alone-" his glared caused her to pause both her ranting and pacing. "We," she corrected before resuming her back and forth motion, "would be all alone. No support. Just us Jamie, or we stay here and then I end up resenting both of you. That would kill me. Can we even give this child a good life, I mean look at how Maddie struggles. I mean the trust funds can only last so long, not that Uncle Harry or my father will let us simply live off of our trusts, and having to balance school, work, a child… Even with Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry and my parents helping they are the grandparents. We would be expected to raise this child, ensure its safety, that it has a warm, loving roof over its head. It's not like we can just live with your parents forever. What if I'm a horrible mother?" The last line broke her, her voice losing its hysterical edge and sounding absolutely defeated.

James went to her, taking both of her hands into his. "It is alright, if you want to keep the baby, we'll make it work. We'll both learn to be parents and our parents will help. We can use your trust for your school. I'll find work in Germany, learn German and work in the muggle world if I must, to keep up a steady income. When your due, I'm sure your professors will work with you. Maybe send you the work so you can have some maternity leave. Our parents will help, after they finish screaming. We could do it if you want, or there is always adoption, or…" he trailed off, unsure. The more he thought about it the less he wanted to do it. He could just see a little girl with curly black hair and shining gray-blue eyes.

"Or?" asked Ally, but she did not need an answer as she saw the innocent time turner sitting on the bench. She picked it up, her fingers gliding over the surface, it would be so easy. A quick trip, cast the anti-pregnancy charm on herself, problem avoided. That one innocent word slammed a rock into her stomach. A child… their child… a symbol of her love for James was a problem. Right then she knew she could not do it. James was right she did not have to give up her dreams, just alter them a bit. Adoption was out of the question and as for the time turner… Ally ripped open the draw that had been built into the wall next to her favorite seat, dropped the time turner into it and slammed it shut viciously.

Spinning to face James she lost some of her fierceness. "I want this, our child. Do you? I'll understand if you can't be a father James."

James shook his head, "Silly women, don't you know me at all? You are not getting rid of me, not once I made up my mind. I more than want this. In fact," he said reaching into his pocket, "mind you this isn't because of the baby." Pulling out a velvet box, James dropped to one knee. And there, as the sun disappeared behind the horizon, James Sirius Potter asked Alice Kryshna Longbottom to marry him.

Alice woke the next morning to a comforting weight around her waist, a hand stroking the barley noticeable bump. She grinned as she thought of last night. She was usually a voice of reason for James Sirianna, Roxie and Fred, but last night she had been completely reckless. She covered his hand with hers, "Good morning Mr. Potter," she whispered, turning to face him.

"Good morning Mrs. Potter," James replied a silly smile on his face. "I can't believe you said yes, or that you then proceeded to drag me to the wedding chapel. How did you even know there was one?"

Blushing, she shrugged, "Mum did a piece on muggle weddings. Now we just need to slip it into the ministry records without the media throwing a fit or our parents finding out." At his frown she rushed to explain, "I want to tell them, I'm just… Give me a week, Jamie. Just one week to prepare myself."

He nodded, slipping out of the bed. Ally looked away from his naked form with a slight blush, before remembering it did not matter. They were both well versed in terms of the other. She slid out of bed as well, pulling some of her clothes from one of his drawers.

"I can take care of the ministry; call in a favor or two. And then maybe we can look for a place." James suggested, as he put his things in the bathroom. "Unless you want to live under my father's roof?"

"Maybe, just for a bit, till we have it all sorted. But we can start looking. I want a house Jamie, not a flat. And I think I want it to be in Germany, at least for a while." She grabbed one of her longer necklaces, removing the pendant and slipping her wedding bands onto it as James had done. "I really do not want to give up that school."

James nodded, having expected as much. Ally had always wanted to be a healer and the German school was one of the best and would allow her to study to become a muggle doctor if she so chose. Only forty students from every magic school in the world were accepted each year He did not dare as her to give it up. If he chose he could play quidditch anywhere, but with the baby on the way… Between training camp, practices and away games he would miss a lot. Not to mention leaving Ally to balance school, work and baby. Longbottoms and Potters were not raised to live off of their trust funds, but taught to work and save; living off the trust funds was never an option even if his father would allow it. He always had been a fair hand at charms and spell invention would give him interesting puzzles. Near the Healer's academy were several universities that offered masteries in various areas like charms and transfiguration and so forth. Spell creation would give him regular hours, he would not miss time with his family and Ally would not worry about him getting killed like his mother and Aunt Hermione worried about their husbands. James nodded, mind made up, "I'll start looking tomorrow." They kissed goodbye, Ally returning home as James had claimed illness to get out of dinner.

The week passed quietly, not even a hint of their marriage in the papers or floating around the ministry. They were debating if they would tell James' siblings and cousins first as they would be at the manor Friday night. One weekend at the end of June, their parents and assorted blood, non-blood family and family friends got together in remembrance of the war and people lost. Thankfully none of the Weasleys died, just some major injuries, but they had lost Remus and Nymphadora Lupin- Teddy's parents, and a large number of friends, professors and mentors. So the designated Friday night into Saturday morning was for stories, memories and getting completely sloshed. It was not the healthiest tradition, but in the twenty two years since the end of the war, James' family had never stopped. His father always said "to stop is to forget. To forget dooms us to repeat." Victorie, the second eldest Weasley, had went a couple of times, supporting Teddy as he heard stories of his parents, and recording all the tales she could. She collected stories for each person who had died, even those that had been questionable in their loyalties, and with the approval of the surviving family members, published it in her first book, _Remembering the Fallen_.

Teddy and Victorie had chosen to stay home this year, joining their younger family members at Potter manor. It was a slightly smaller gathering than usual as several of the non-blood family members, the younger Malfoys, Zambinis, Woods, Jordans and various family friends were staying elsewhere. Of course small did not mean calm among the Weasley-Potter-Lupin (-Longbottom-Malfoy-Zambini-Wood-Jordan) group, even with James acting more responsible. Ally did not mind one bit, as the craziness screamed "home". And Uncle Harry's home was always the worst. Between the huge pool with waterfall and slide, hot tub, quidditch pitch, stables, tennis courts, and the big screen TV and state of the art sound equipment and the latest game systems, his house always had a crowd. Not to mention his cooking rivaled Mrs. Weasley's cooking. It was a rare week when he was not yelling if people ever went home, although he never managed to say it in earnest. Heck, half the family-blood and adopted- had their own rooms when they stayed, usually shared with one or two of their cousins.

Only blood family were staying at Potter Manor this year, with the exception of Scorpius Malfoy, Alice Longbottom and Teddy Lupin. Molly Weasley had practically demanded grandchildren and her sons had not disappointed her. In total there were nineteen grandchildren plus another 16 who while not blood counted as far as Molly was concerned. All had lost family during the war and Molly had stepped in, pulling her son's friends into her family whether they liked it or not. Ages ranged from 23 to 11, and there were two great-grandchildren age four and three months. Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny were not happy being the first grandparents in their extended family. It was weird Alice thought, after years of referring to them as aunt and uncle, they were now her in-laws. Little fists brought her out of her musings. Grinning she pulled her niece, four year old Ava Potter into her lap. Neither her father nor her half-brother Daniel's father had stuck around long. It was a good thing they truly disappeared because her father-in-law would have torn them to shreds. If he ever learned what she and James had considered doing… The mere thought terrified her. Little hands tugged on her sleeve wanting attention, which Ally gave, happy to distract herself from the news they had to share soon as she was approaching her fourth month of pregnancy and baggy clothes would only work for so much longer.

James smiled watching Ava and Ally. He could not help thinking how it would be their child she was cuddling soon.

"Oi, James!" Turning to his cousin and partner-in-crime, Fred, James raised his eyes in question. "Potions lab?" his cousin questioned with a grin that terrified most people. James agreed, calling for their sisters Roxie and Sirianna. Rose and Albus rolled their eyes, as they along with Scorpius restrained from yelling for everyone to take cover. Al liked pranks as well but he or Lily handled the potions. There was a reason James was typically banned from the lab, usually by Lily, that reason being explosions that made even his Uncles Fred and George nervous. Lily, who was actually winning against Hugo at chess, decided she could check on James in a minute, after all the twenty minutes it took to finish the game surely was only time for a minor explosion not an utter catastrophe. Oh, how she would come to love and regret that decision.

With the main trouble makers, but certainly not the only ones, gone the common room seemed almost quiet, a thought that terrified most Weasleys or Potters. Silence was the quiet before the storm or in most instances the screaming mums. Glancing around the room while Hugo planned his next move, she took a mental roll of the people present. In her family a running head count was necessary for the moment disaster occurred as it inevitably would.

Starting with the eldest, she accounted for her cousins and siblings: Audrianna Regina Weasley, her Uncle Charlie's daughter was in the library studying for her healers' exam. Her oldest sister Maddelyn Grace Potter was upstairs with her son Daniel, getting ready to go out, probably on a date Daddy would not approve of. Teddy and Vikki had disappeared among wolf whistles to have some alone time. James Sirius, Sirianna Renee Potter and Fredrick Michael and Roxanne Jeanette Weasley were doing something no one wanted to think about in the potion's lab. If her beautiful red hair changed colors again she would kill her brother. Mirianna Elizabeth, Uncle Fred and Aunt Angelina's daughter was arguing about quidditch statistics with her younger sister Katherine Jade. Charlotte Antoinette, Charlie's youngest daughter traded looks with Bill's son, Luis Arthur, trying to stay neutral. Mirí and Katie could go on forever and neither Luis nor Chara wanted to be sucked in. That lasted until the wasps were brought into the argument and Chara had to defend her team. Al and Rose had disappeared and were either finding trouble, causing trouble, researching trouble or eating the last of the treacle tart before her Dad could eat it all. As Scorpius was not in the room and Hugo was, Lily put her money on finding trouble. She ducked to the side as a spell shot by her, Hugo remaining completely unfazed, as her older cousins' quidditch argument turned violent. Molly Michelle Weasley and Lucy Anne Weasley sat in the corner with Tony, Uncle Charlie's son, who was regaling tales of Hogwarts to the almost 11 year old Lucy Weasley. Ava Potter, Lily's niece listened wide eyed from the lap of Alice Longbottom, a non-blood family member she had grown up seeing as a sort of sister. Lily was sure something was going on with her and Jamie though because her brother had hardly looked away from Ally all night. She would not mind Alice becoming her sister for real. Maybe Ally could reign in James like her grandmum Lily had with Grandpa James.

She was pulled from her thoughts as Hugo crowed, "Checkmate. Sorry Lils not this time."Lily shrugged she had to check on James anyway, and Merlin knows only Uncle Ron stood a chance at beating Hugo. Getting up, she headed for her favorite room, the potion's lab, trying to remember what was causing the uneasy feeling in her stomach. She had forgotten something, but what was it. As she neared the steps leading down to the basement she heard her brother curse.

"Those are Lily's, aren't they?" ask Roxanne her voice a combination of mirth and terror. "You know she is going to kill you."

Hit with a lightning bolt of realization, Lily began to shake. Her shoes, he destroyed her brand new Italian shoes that had taken weeks of pleading to get her father to buy her. The same ones she had planned to wear on her date tomorrow night. He was dead. She walked down stairs, sparing only a moment to make sure she was right. "JAMES SIRIUS POTTER! You bastard," she screamed, lunging for him. James took off Lily close on his heels.

Upstairs, Hugo and Rose did not even look up from the treacle tart they were inhaling. Fights between the Potter siblings, especially James and Lily, were common. It would be more concerning if there was silence as that would mean Lily succeeded in killing him, or worse another prank war. Of course being a Weasley she had pulled her fair share, but Rose preferred to be able to go to sleep without having to lock down her room. Maddelyn Potter appeared holding two outfits diverting Rose's attention. Neither outfit was something Uncle Harry would approve of his 22 year old daughter wearing, although Aunt Ginny might have gone for the dark green strapless dress. Maddie was in the midst of asking Rose which she thought was a better date outfit when Lily and James came up from the basement. A collision threw one outfit in the direction of the fireplace and the other met the pumpkin juice from the container that had been in Hugo's hand.

Motion stopped at once as Lily and James looked fearfully towards their older sister. Maddie's eyes moved slowly between the burning green silk dress and the once white corseted, satin and lace dress. Those had been her two indulgences, the two things where she would spend more money on herself than on her children for the entire year. And that material… no spell could fix the damages done to them. Her lips pulled into a thin line, a look James knew all too well from Minerva McGonagall. "James Sirius Potter," she whispered softly in the same deadly whisper their father had, "YOU ARE DEAD!" The scream that tore from her lips proved that while she may look like Harry Potter's daughter, she had her mother Ginevra's lungs and temper. Unlike her father her cold whisper was a precursor, a warning to take cover. Where as if her Dad's temper had reached icy whisper level, so termed by the twin sets who due to constant trouble making had found it imperative to make a system to indicate danger levels, the person it was directed to could give up all hope. Harry Potter ranting and raving was bad, icy whisper he was pissed well beyond control.

Maddie's curly black hair fanned out behind her as she spun on her heel in the direction of her brother. Her blue eyes flashed dangerously as her muscles tightened preparing to spring. The feral growl that rose from her diaphragm seemed to awaken James as he dashed for the stairs. His sisters would not literally kill him, but they would deliver a world of pain. Lily, the slightly sadistic slytherin that she was, was always ready for a good fight. She gave a joyful chuckle before sprinting after her siblings.

Rose and Hugo went to clean up the mess, and put out the dress, as their cousins left in a gust of air. The door opened as Chara, Katie, Luis and Mirí came in, curious. "What was it this time?" Chara asked, blue eyes sparkling with mirth.

Rose indicated the ruined dresses and a smoking silver Italian shoe that Roxie had entered the room holding. "The shoes were victims of our potion, but we didn't ruin the dresses. That was just bad luck." Roxie told them, sweeping dark auburn curls over her shoulder. "Perhaps we should make sure Maddie leaves him breathing. Those are rather expensive dresses. Plus if Dría and Al are disturbed in the library you know it won't be pretty."

"Nah," Siri said with a dismissive wave of her hand, "James will be alright. My twin will just thoroughly hexed, as he should be since he didn't listen. We should play some quidditch 'fore the sun sets." There was a loud crash and a few cries of pain upstairs but the others ignored it, deciding quiddtch was a better idea than getting into the middle of a Potter fight. They quickly divided the teams: Hugo- keeper, Katie- seeker, and Sirianna and Roxie- chaser. That left Mirí as keeper, Rose as seeker, Fred and Chara as chaser. Luis would keep score and make sure there was no cheating. They moved to get the things from the hallway closet, dragging out the trunk where the balls were stored, when they heard a gasp. They all looked to Siri, who was starring open mouthed at the row of beater bats. There were two spares and one custom, individual one for those who played beater. Nothing seemed out of place, Siri's bat was hanging right next to Dom and Vicki's blue and silver bats where it always hung. Unless it was the fact that the normally black bat was bright pink but that would not usually be enough to upset Siri. "That bastard is going to pay for ruining my bat," she seethed, storming away supposedly to join her sisters' attempt to kill James. With a shrug Luis took Siri's place.

The league standard pitch, a gift from Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny, was set up just as the pitch for the world cup; all the standard wards and the exact hoops plus a few safety charms. Because of Ginny they could play day or night as the pitch had lights and seating for those who wanted to watch. Their brooms, all top of the line nimbus' firebolts' and cleansweeps', were graciously given by Fred Sr., Alicia, Angelina, and George. The remaining equipment had been bought as Christmas and birthday gifts through the years, until much to Hermione's horror, there was a complete set of balls, gloves and bats in every Weasley and Potter home.

Luis won the coin flip so his side started with the quaffle. The game had been going for about an hour when the wind started picking up, nearly knocking Rose from her broom. The sky was turning gray at an unnatural sped. She yelled a warning to the family, meeting them at the center of the pitch. "Something's wrong. This storm is just unnatural. We should go in-," Several loud voices protested. Rose rolled her eyes; it was still just a game. "120 to 150, ball in Luis' possession, I know. I'll record it we can pick up after the storm subsides." A crash of thunder stopped all arguments.

"Damn it," Luis cursed, stupid summer storm. His team had been winning. Putting their things back, they joined Alice, Ava, Lucy, Molly and Tony.

"Story time?" asked Fred. Roxie rolled her eyes but indulged her brother's need for attention and drama. The story managed, as most of Fred's did, to devolve into a tickle/pillow fight that destroyed the living room. Not that anyone was paying attention to that detail.

Meanwhile, Albus was rocking his 3 month old nephew while softly reading a book on time travel theories. It was a topic that always started a fight between him and Rose. She believed in a closed time-circle that could not branch while he was partial to the concept of a fluid time-circle. Essentially he believed it was possible for a time traveler to create an alternate universe and still return to their original time. Like if he saved his grandparents, there would be a time where they continued to exist and his time where they did not. Rose believed it would lead in some world ending catastrophe. But then it formed a paradox of when it came into being which was where Rose found most of the problems with the latest time theories. "Which is just silly, isn't it Daniel?"The baby looked at him wide eyed. "Of course Rose is probably right, but I can hope there's a time where Dad grew up with them, can't I? One where Uncle Percy still has use of his legs? Or where Teddy's mum and Dad are alive?" The little one gurgled happily and Al grinned, whishing his nephew was old enough to understand. He took no notice of the glowing light by the window seat, settling Daniel a little more comfortable so the kid could sleep and he could read.

Dría, who had been unintentionally eavesdropping as she took a break from studying, grinned. Only Al would read a three month old a book on time travel. But then Daniel was one of the few that stayed awake and appeared to calmly listen no matter what Al read to him. A scream was heard as James ran by for the third time, chased by his three sisters. Dría shook her head, only her family found this normal. With a sigh she picked up the book on potions, poisons and curses, immersing herself in the knowledge. Focused as she was she did not notice the light emanating from the window's seats drawer growing steadily brighter nor the red haired woman slowly making her way to the manor.

Dominique Leanne Weasley made her way up the path to her Uncle Harry's house. When she had discovered she was pregnant in December, he had helped her escape. She had stayed with a tutor in the mountains of Montana in the States. It was gorgeous and Merlin knows she was going to beg to vacation there, but her child like the rest of the family would be born on English soil. She paused as the sun disappeared. Looking up, her eyes widened. She had been doing some independent studies on time travel spells and their stability. This looked like a spell was about to collapse in on itself. The clouds overhead were growing increasingly dark at an abnormal rate and the lightning looked wrong. A bolt of lightning struck, but instead of the typical white light, it shone gold. "Oh, Merlin. James, what have you done?" Dom asked in a horrified whisper, her hand covering her stomach. She fumbled at her pockets, trying to remember which held her cell phone that her Uncles Fred and George had created with help from her Aunt Hermione. Hands shaking she dropped the phone as it tried to send the text. A bolt of lightning blasted apart the side of the house, the library Dom thought, as she watched in fascinated horror. She barely had time to register the fact her phone failed to send before a surge of energy and debris slammed into her, throwing her backwards. Her head hit the ground and the world faded from her sight.

Across the country, in the three broomsticks, Harry Potter's head shot up. "Does anyone else feel the sudden need to check on the kids?" He asked, looking around the room at his various in-laws and friends.

"Your being paranoid Potter," muttered Draco Malfoy. Seeing the truly worried look, he muttered "Harry we left two hours ago, how much trouble could they have caused?" When Draco had chosen a side in the war, Harry's side, the boys had bonded somewhat. Lucius was locked up but Harry had spoken for Narcissa and Draco during the trials. Over the years a mutual bond of acceptance had formed, and they along with Blaise, Neville and a reluctant Ron formed an almost brother like relationship.

"My sons Dray. Ron and Hermione's. Yours. Fred and George's. Do I really need to go on? Or did you forget the howler we received when Al, Rose and Scorpius decided to fly to school on motorbikes? Or where James and Fred made the dungeons uninhabitable? Or the one that involved vats of colored ink and every school owl? I believe that was Roxie, Fred, James and Siri."

Draco held up his hands, "I get it, natural disasters are born from the Potter and Weasley genes. Between Teddy, Vikki, Maddie, and Dría, it will be corralled Harry. I'll prove it." Pulling out a cell phone, a muggle invention Hermione had introduced him to and Fred and George had improved upon, he called his son. When it came up as unavailable, he simple shook his head. It would not be the first destroyed phone. When Al's came up the same, his eyebrows shot up, slightly concerned. When the same message came from Rose's phone, Draco let out a series of curses that caused Hermione to distribute the sobering potions. Harry's phone was in his hands seconds later. Knowing the three Draco would have called, he went through the rest of the family that had been at his house. Only Dominique's cell came up busy rather than unavailable.

Work was distributed quickly. Seamus and Lavender Finnegan and Dean and Parvarti Thomas would make sure any rumors would not make it into the papers. Hannah McMillian would ensure that no rumors started in the Leaky Cauldron, a bar she owned. All the younger children would stay with Blaise and Daphne Zambini who would keep an eye on the wards around the houses for any signs of activity. Both would use extensive connections to check outside the country. Susan and Justin Finch-Fletchley along with Terry and Padma Boot would keep an eye on the Weasley's, Malfoy's, Longbottom's and Potter's, making sure they stopped to take care of themselves. Work distributed and sobering potions kicking in, the Weasley's, Longbottom's, Potter's and Malfoy's took off for Potter manor.

"How much trouble could they cause?" Harry muttered as he surveyed the grounds. The wall that had been the west wall of the library was gone, its remains scattered on the lawn. Ginny was wrapped in his embrace sobbing into his chest, unable to look anymore. Aurors were searching the manor, trying to determine if it had been an attack. Bill, with other curse breakers, was checking that the wards had not been tampered with. Family was normally excluded from investigations but Bill was one of the best and could maintain a cool head, unlike the rest of the family. Ron held an equally distraught Hermione, who had yet to look away from the library remains.

An auror approached slowly, dreading the moment he had to face the Potters. Out of all the families, the individual Weasley families, the Longbottoms and the Malfoys, the Potters were the scariest especially Harry Potter's ice cold temper. If he was mad, then he screamed some, maybe threw an object or two. When he was beyond reason, his voice dropped to a deadly whisper, his eyes hardened like ice. "Head Auror Potter, sir, we found indication of a struggle or fight." The auror gulped as deadly emerald eyes fixated on him. "There um… there is no blood or anything to indicate any injuries. No bodies have been recovered. The wards have not been tampered with and there were 27 people present. Those are the preliminaries; of course, we will be looking into it further. "

"Thank you, Auror Shields. You may go." There it was that deadly whisper, the one that could turn a man to stone. The same one that indicated the man in front of him was about to crack.

"Burrow?" Bill asked softly knowing that none of them, especially his brother-in-law should be left alone right now. "You are invited as well, Draco, Astoria, Luna, Neville."

The blond and brunette nodded their thanks as Draco gently guided the Potters away from the house. Luna took a moment longer, "Be safe Ally," she whispered head cocked to the side, "Save them if you can."


	2. Chapter 2

"Harry, Ron!" The cry floated across the yard as a flustered Molly Weasley, her gray hair coming lose from its bun, stood wringing her hands in the Burrow's doorway. "The minister just called something about mandatory vacation. What did he mean? What's wrong, I thought everyone was going to stay at the three broomsticks?" As she spoke, she guided her children into the living room, flicking her wand to prepare tea.

"It means we know what you two are like. If we go to work we'll be looking in files we shouldn't. It is the polite way of suspending us so that we don't impede the investigation." Harry continued before she could ask, "The investigation into our children's disappearance."

Eighteen people sat in the living room, unblinking and silent as the clock struck one. Molly had returned to bed about an hour before, knowing she could do nothing more to help her children. Harry looked down at the woman in his arms, who stared unrelentingly, pleadingly at the fireplace. He knew she had not slept well the past couple of nights, and now she really needed sleep. At the very least time would pass a little faster if they managed a few hours. Besides if Kingsley thought a suspension would stop him he had another thing coming. A few hours sleep would let him get a grip on the situation. Several people gave a start when the couches suddenly moved back. With a couple of flicks, Harry had expanded the room, conjuring nine mattresses, all placed within reaching distance of one another. Another flick and sheets and pillows covered the beds.

"Ginny love, we need to get some sleep." He said it softly, but it echoed around the room. She opened her mouth to scream at him, how dare he suggest sleep, her babies were out there Merlin knows where, probably hurt. "We won't help anything if we drive ourselves into the ground. Just try for a few hours, sweetheart, please."

She surveyed him for a moment, before declaring "I am not sleeping in these clothes." She held out a hand, and with a weak grin that was more of a grimace, Harry pulled off his top, leaving him in his undershirt, handing it to her. She left to change, and the others surveyed the room uncertainly.

"Oh, honestly!" snapped Fleur, pulling Bill out of his seat. She pushed him towards a mattress before pulling his shirt off herself. With a flick of her hair, she left to change, soon followed by Hermione and Astoria, both with their husband's shirts. Irina, who had married Charlie, went to change as Ginny returned to the room. Audrey, Percy's wife helped him remove his shirt and shoes before Bill and Charlie came over and helped their brother into the bed. Audrey simple stripped off her shoes, socks and pants before climbing into bed, while Percy watched with a raised eyebrow. Audrey had a satisfied grin on her face as she snuggled up to Percy. It took a lot more to stun him than when the first began dating.

Laughing at Percy's face Angelina and Alicia followed their sister-in-law's example, stripping down to shirt and underwear.

"Tease," George muttered as Angelina settled in next to him, still chuckling at his stunned brother.

Ron followed suit, taking the bed second closest to the window, knowing Harry and Ginny would want the bed closest to the window. Coming out of the bathroom, Hermione scoffed, picking up her husband's pants, and folding them before placing them to the side. As the last couple settled into the bed, Hermione turned the lights lower but not all the way out.

"We'll find them," Hermione told the room quietly. "Besides they are our kids and that means they also know how to get out of the trouble they get into."

There were noises of agreement as they lie staring at the walls or partners, willing themselves to sleep. Soft and low, Ginny crooned the opening notes of a lullaby she had sang to each of her kids, Harry's baritone joining her alto, "Lay down your head, let me sing you a lullaby, back to the years of loo li lai lay…"

Harry lay holding his wife as the rest of the family had given in to Morpheus. He had to do something, to look around the library, find some proof that his children were okay. There should have been 23 people in his house, not 27. So who were the other four people? The kids had always been good at telling someone where they were going or if they had invited a friend. Rising, he went upstairs, grabbing an old shirt of Ron's from his room, careful not to wake anyone. Slipping on his shoes, he slipped out the back, making his way to the apparition point. He had an hour, maybe two before Ginny would wake up. If she woke up before he returned, she'd hex the stuffing out of him for not waking her and taking her with him.

-PAST-

"Minerva, you'll stay for dinner, won't you?" asked Molly Weasley, as she knitted one of the family sweaters. It was a pale lilac one hemmed with books that would be going to Hermione.

"Yes, of course, Molly. I would not miss a chance to sample your cooking." Both women heard the hidden meanings. Minerva had come over earlier to talk to the trio who still remained stubbornly silent. If it was not for the wedding, she was sure they would have left on Harry's birthday. At Molly's inquiring look, she shook her head, "After the wedding… They are all of age Molly. The most I can do is offer help. Besides even at eleven we would not have been able to stop them." Molly sniffed, trying to conceal her watery eyes. The same sad but proud look covered both of their faces. Silently sipping her tea Minerva wished there was something she could do, some way to know they were safe. The somber mood was broken by one of two responsible for a fourth of her grey hair; the trio took another fourth and the marauders were responsible for the original fourth. If she survived the war she had a feeling it would be the kids of Potter and the Weasleys that would leech the remaining color away.

"Hey Minnie," yelled a twin that could now be differentiated by his missing ear, or lack thereof. He skipped into the room without a care despite his missing ear.

"George," Minerva sighed. Neither the Marauders nor the twins would ever stop calling her Minnie, not that she truly minded especially when it preceded one of their better moments.

Grinning cheekily, he paused to kiss his mother's cheek and Minerva's before going into the common room where all the younger ones had gathered due to a sudden summer storm whispering, "They'll be alright. No one beats the odds like Harry."

"Some days I wonder," muttered Molly, "but then he does something like that and I remember I did raise him right… just with a fondness for explosions."

The Weasley house was loud and chaotic as ever. Charlie had come home from Romania for his brother's wedding. Fleur had been fretting that the entire affair would be a disaster because her parents had last minute business to attend to and would now be arriving the day of the wedding, not to mention the rain currently wrecking the yard. Bill had pulled her to the side and calmed her down and now she was engaged in conversation with Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnett, the twins' girlfriends. The twins had asked for them to stay at the burrow, the only sign they were worried about Voldemort, until the wedding and Molly had relented as long as separate bedrooms were maintained. The twins had grumbled about being adults but had taken their mother's one requirement with grace. Bill and Charlie were in the middle of a debate no one wanted a part of; something about animal shipping rights and some economic theory Bill kept bringing up. The twins looked like the pictures of innocence as they planned something that would get them killed by Fleur or Mrs. Weasley. The trio having been dragged downstairs had split. Ron and Hermione had started a chess match where she was losing much to her irritation. Harry and Ginny appeared to be reading at opposite ends of the common room, but every now and then a wand would flick and a paper in the book would update the conversation. Harry was sure the twins' newest invention was not meant for secret correspondences with little sisters but it worked.

There was a knock on the front door and Minerva admitted Remus and Tonks who proceeded to drag the older women into the living room. In her words, they may as well get every last second with the three idiots before they disappeared for who knows how long. Arthur returned from his shed just in time to see a persistent pink hair woman shoving his wife and former professor into the common room. Chuckling he joined them, his mouth turning down for a brief moment as he wished his one missing son was home. None noticed the light growing persistently brighter in the kitchen or the glow coming from the stairs. Sitting down beside his wife he basked in the warmth of his family who seemed to almost forget the war.

The common room was loud but not loud enough to cover the scream from upstairs. "James Sirius Potter! Get your damned ass back here! Do you realize just how long I had to spend convincing Daddy to get me those shoes? I haven't even had a chance to wear them! AND I HAVE A DATE TOMORROW AND NO SHOES TO MATCH MY DRESS!"

"It's not that bad Lils, I'm sure they're salvageable." By now the common room was silent. A thud echoed down the stairs as the second speaker supposedly fell.

"Salvageable! Another word you don't understand James! You practically vaporized one!"

There was a pounding on the stairs as a red haired boy sprinted past everyone yelling, "I swear this was not my fault Dad!" He froze in the middle of the room as the door to the kitchen opened admitting two black haired girls. Both looked strikingly like Harry. The oldest looking one had black curls that fell to her shoulders and the same bright blue eyes as Ron. The other girl had straight black hair streaked with red. Her pale hazel-green eyes were less furious and much more amused than her counterparts.

"And my beater bat, Jamie or Maddie's dresses? I can fix my bat but do you honestly think those dresses will survive?" The black and red haired girl demanded glaring at the male. Both women stood with their hands on their hips, glaring at Jamie. From the stairs James had just taken another red head appeared. Her hands also went to her hips, glaring at the now slightly nervous male standing between his three sisters.

He ruffled his red hair in a way reminiscent of both James and Harry Potter, giving them a weak nervous chuckle. "Sorry Lils, Maddie?"

"Sorry?" asked the red head in a dangerously quiet voice. "You destroyed shoes I had to beg for weeks to get and Dad won't buy me another, but you are sorry? YOU POURED THE POTION ONTO THEM YOU ASS!" Raising her wand, she aimed at her brother who decided now would be a fantastic time to resume running.

"I… AAHHH" The boy screamed pushing past the dark haired girls. They glanced at each other for a moment before deciding to give chase.

"What the hell just happened?" asked Tonks from her place beside Remus. "I know facial features and I'm pretty positive I just saw a hell of a lot of Harry run through here."

"No kidding, that red head was the spitting image of James." Remus said, staring in the direction of the kitchen, his wand held loosely by his side. In the confusion he had been the only one to draw his wand but he hesitated to hex children.

"Yeah, Harry when were you going to tell us you were a daddy with four little ones?" asked Charlie, a wicked grin on his face.

"Five," said a voice from the stairs, "Honestly Uncle Charlie, just leave me out. I maybe a carbon copy of Dad but we are two different people." Dark messy hair and bright green eyes could be seen over top of the book the speaker was holding. He lowered the book, all color draining from his face, "Oh. That explains it, sort of." Looking around the room, he raised an eyebrow, "Is it 1997 Dad? I mean Harry, sorry."

Harry stared at the boy in shock, there was hardly any denying him. He had the Potter hair, the same bright green eyes but without glasses. He was his freaking twin! Harry's wand moved so fast none saw him pull it. Pointing it at the newcomer he demanded "Who are you?"

"My name is Al. I'm your fourth kid, second son. The younger generation of the family was at the Irish manor. I was reading to my nephew in the library while Lilly, Maddelyn, and Sirianna were trying to kill James for something he did in the potions lab. Dría was somewhere in the library and the rest of the family was in the kitchen and common room. No, actually Ted and Vik were somewhere snogging. They came into the library to take Daniel since it was his bath time; I tend to forget while I'm reading. I got up because I had been sitting to long but I didn't want to put the book down. I was heading to get some treacle tart before Rose and Hugo finished it off and next thing I know I hear Uncle Charlie. And that was weird because all of our parents are at the three broomsticks. Oh Merlin," he muttered to himself, lifting his wand only to stop as his family tensed. "I need to check that they are all here and okay. I've only heard four out of nineteen people!"

"Prove you are my son," Harry told him softly. As Al motioned to himself Harry snorted, "Looks can be deceiving. And not just some little fact. Something even Ron and Hermione don't know. I-I don't care how bad."

"Of course you do. The only reason anyone but Mum found out about that time is because Uncles Fred and George locked you in a cupboard and you blew apart the stairs and part of the house. How about the fact you apperated onto the elementary school roof or that you got completely sloshed for like a week after fifth year?" His father's wand did not lower nor did he respond to surprised noises from the family. "You got Dudley's second room after they noticed the letter's address because they were scared they were being watched and that would have been bad for their image." Harry just stared. "Oh for Merlin's sake. Mum's right you were a paranoid ass this year. Cousin Dudley left a peace offering; a cup of tea that you stepped on. You did not realize until he was leaving."

Harry nodded, lowering his wand with a slight grin glad that Al had danced around the subject. "Just as stubborn as your Mum then," he asked glancing towards Ginny.

"Nah, fire breathing is more Maddie and Lils thing then mine. According to Mum I take after my stubborn arse of a father." Al responded with a grin on his face, James lost another bet. "Now, for my own peace of mind, what happened at the zoo? And my name is Al, Uncle George, not the scrawny git." Al's eyes never left his father, but he smirked as his uncle's expression morphed into a surprised one. "Dad says I have ears like mum and grandmum and the eyes too, you need them when dealing with my brother."

Harry looked confused for a minute before chuckling, "I set a python loose. He made a break for Brazil."

Al grinned, "Right on all accounts Dad. Or do you prefer Harry?"

"Dad's fine," mumbled Harry as his face turned red. Several people snickered, only to receive identical glares from both boys.

"Shut up! If he's a father, it means he survived the war. A war he had not planned on surviving." Al scolded them, his voice soft. Ron and Hermione's faces dropped as they stared at their best mate; he was planning on dying?

"Go ahead and call the rest of the family." Harry told him but before Al could he was interrupted.

"Whoa," said a voice from the kitchen, "when did we get to Grandma's?" A female and a male, sandwiches in hand, exited the kitchen. The boy had curly hair and bright blue eyes. The female had curly red hair and warm brown eyes which were wide in surprise. "Well damn. Al that is Uncle Harry right?" She queried after swallowing. She chuckled softly, "James is sooo dead when Uncle Harry gets a hold of him. " Al looked at her inquiringly, "Oh honestly, Albus. We are in the past."

"I'm looking at my father who happens to be only a year older than me who was ready to hex me into nonexistence. I think I realized we are in the past Rose. I'm just wondering what stunt James pulled that you won't admit to that makes you so happy he's gonna get in trouble."

The redhead's face turned scarlet as she crammed half her sandwich into her mouth. Gesturing vaguely that she could not talk with a full mouth she proceeded to chew at the slowest pace Al had seen a Weasley eat, including his aunts.

Rose was saved from answering by James' entrance. As pissed as she was at him for causing another disaster, she did not mind him interrupting that line of questions. She really did not want to explain to her cousin that his brother had caught her in a rather indecent position with their best mate.

"Honestly, it's not all my fault. It could have been someone else. Besides we're only at Grandmas. We'll just use her floo really quick." James said as he came downstairs looking only slightly worse than he had before his sisters had gotten a hold of him.

Al raised his wand as he glared at his brother, and cast a somewhat unnecessary sonorous, "**DAD IS SEVENTEEN!"** He roared, causing the house to fall silent, "FAMILY MEETING NOW!" Canceling the charm he glared at James, "remind me why I have to be related to you?"

"Because I'm awesome Albie," James boasted, ruffling his hair.

"Stuff it Jamie. Dad can you maybe skip conceiving the prat?" Al's head jerked forward as one of the black haired girl from earlier slapped him.

"If he's not conceived, neither am I Al, and I kind of like having been born." She grinned, "Besides if we didn't have James who would keep us on our toes?" Her pale hazel-green eyes sparkled with mischief, "Other than yours truly of course."

"I'm on my toes so often sis that I'm a bloody ballerina," Lily drawled in a scary mix of Malfoy and Snape, as she tossed her braid over her shoulder.

The Weasley's, particularly the twins looked at her in shock. James shook his head sadly, "You're hanging out with Snape's portrait too much Lils."

"You're just jealous he actually likes Lily and me and gives us potions tips." Al snapped back as the rest of the cousins piled into the now rather crowded living room. "And yeah Dad there's a portrait of Uncle Sev in your study." As Harry's face paled rapidly his kids laughed.

"Hey! Uncle Sev's alive right now! We could…"

"He's also a traitor right now Lils, no such luck." James reminded her softly. He may despise the man but for his sister he would tolerate him. "He's not actually a traitor Dad. Professor Dumbledore was dying cause of the curse. He made him promise to kill him if it would renew Voldemort's belief in his loyalty. That's why he aimed at Uncle George's ear, to make it look like he missed while not killing anyone."

George held his hand up to his missing ear, his mouth open. It had occurred to him that Snape was not that bad of a shot, and considering he thought he was aiming at Harry… Well, crap he owed his life to the git.

"Uncle Harry," called a woman with auburn hair, "Now would be a good time for some expansion charms."

Hermione, recovering from her surprise, cast the charms and added a few more couches after seeing Harry's blank look. Honestly the boy was seventeen and could not cast an expansion charm. "First things first, we need proof of what you say from each of you. Polyjuice potion isn't that difficult to brew. One fact that is relatively unknown. If it's a future thing Al can verify you can use that as well."

"You would know, wouldn't you?" Queried the red head from the kitchen, "Have you been brewing in Myrtle's bathroom again? My name is Rose Weasley by the way."

Hermione looked at her stunned. "What year?"

"Second, of course. Uncle Harry and Daddy wanted to sneak into the Slytherin common room because clearly only the snakes could be evil." Her voice turned sour towards the end as she glared at her father and uncle.

Ron's mouth opened and closed while Molly beamed. She would deal with polyjuice potion later. "So I have grandkids? From all of my boys?" Molly queried her smile widening as her eyes darted to Charlie..

"Technically, you have 19 grandchildren. After the war you adopted a couple of your son's friends. Blood wise there are 19 grandkids plus another 16 that are not blood related," Rose answered.

"Cool," yelled Fred, "Now we have every hair color!"

"What," drawled the woman who had spoken earlier, "With seven of you, you didn't expect some variation? You can't all marry redheads nor have just sons." Standing on her toes she began pointing in what seemed a completely random pattern. "Head count, have to make sure we did not lose anyone.23 out of 23."

"Oldest to youngest than?" proposed Chara, knowing that a Potter being the second oldest would cause a stir and that was always fun. "A fact and than a few details, I'm sure they'll be obliviated before we leave." Everyone nodded.

Before anyone could say anything, small fists hit Harry's leg, "Grandpa, I'm hungry," a little brown haired blue eyed child stated, a thumb in her mouth. "Can you make sghetti or burgers, pwease?" She looked up at him with wide eyes and Arthur laughed knowing the teen was doomed already.

"How about introductions first," suggested Arthur, "And then maybe great gran can make lunch."

"No," she said stubbornly, "Its Grandpa's turn. And why you need introw- introw… Don't you know us?"

"Little one," Harry said softly to the child who had settled herself on his lap. "What is your name?"

"Ava but you call me Angel grandpa. Are you okay?" Ava put her tiny little hand against his forehead as if checking for a fever. She traced over his scar and her eyes flew open wide. "What's that?" she asked tracing it over and over.

"It's my scar." Harry told her keeping his voice calm and steady despite the fact he was celebrating internally. Sometime in the near future, his scar would at least fade enough that it went unnoticed by his granddaughter. "Do I look different Angel?" The little girl scrutinized him before nodding solemnly. "Do you know why?" She shook her head. "Do you know what time travel is?"

"Yes! Cousin Rose and Uncle Albie argue about it all the time. It's when you go to a time before your current time." Her eyes widened as she looked around the room. "Grandpa is that why Uncle Albie said you was 17?" She asked her voice wavering.

Harry nodded. "I'm not a grandpa or a Daddy yet, Angel." As her eyes filled with tears, Harry tightened his arms around her, "But I can fill in until older me gets here to take you home. Is that okay?"

She nodded excitedly, before looking pointedly at her family, "Names," she said fiercely before turning wide eyes on Harry, "And sghetti."

"Spaghetti takes too long munchkin. How about burgers and I can prep spaghetti?"

She nodded her approval while the future kids laughed. "She has you wrapped around her finger Daddy," giggled the red head he was almost positive was Lily. Harry shrugged, he was holding his grandbaby while looking at his 5 kids, something he never thought he'd live to see, he'd happily be wrapped around little fingers.

"Alright then," said an auburn haired woman, "Introductions- names and fathers only. Parents if they are married/ about to marry. And I suppose you want a fact from each of us Aunt Hermione?"

"Al are you positive they are all family?"

"Yeah, no one fools Uncle Bill and Dad's wards let alone Mum's or your wards, Aunt Hermione. If they get into the manor under polyjuice or glamours the wards would force out their true identity rather gruesomely."

"Names then, and a fact that can be verified by Al or one of the present generation but not widely known." she agreed. "But make it brief."

-FUTURE-

Harry shook his head. It was odd sneaking across his property. Kingsley would have his ass if he found out. Dawn was approaching which meant they would soon be rotating the aurors. There would be a twenty minute window where the ones leaving would be debriefed and the one's arriving would be briefed. Then another twenty minutes as they were assigned spots and given instructions for each area. As convenient as it was at this point in time, he and Ron would need to change that procedure. As the aurors started leaving their posts, Harry moved to the west side. As he picked his way over the remaining debris, a flash of blue caught his eyes; Dominique's cell phone. Harry's heart raced as he picked up the phone that was miraculously still intact. "Damn it, Dom. You were supposed to call when you were coming home," Harry muttered to himself. At least this put the count up to twenty five; now who were the other two? He really hoped his grand-niece/nephew had already been born; time travel did not mix well with pregnancy.

Turning the phone on, he found it still worked, its screen on the last text she had tried to send. His stomach fell as he looked at the picture she had captured. Under it was a hastily written message: _storm out of nowhere. Collapsing magic. Feels time magic. Still pregnant. _ If Dom was right, some kind of time magic collapsed causing the storm and dropping the kids into some point in time. And Dom was still pregnant which posed a great risk to both her and her unborn child.

Glancing at his watch, he noticed he only had twenty minutes left. Normally he would never consider the path he was about to take, but going in a door and upstairs would take too long. Hoping no one would see him, he levitated himself through the hole in the wall. He tried to text or call Ron, but neither his nor Dom's phones were able to send. Sighing, he went to one of the desks, scrawling out a note to Kingsley and the auror that would find the phone; now he was really going to be suspended. Placing the phone in clear view, he began searching the room. There had to be something time related in this room or the magic would have struck elsewhere. A soft thrumming drew his attention to the window seat. The drawer next to it was glowing. Wand out, he opened the compartment slowly. Despite the glow he recognized its source immediately, Hermione's time turner from third year. He reached out to pick it up and the glow intensified. A wave of magic knocked him off his feet and the next thing he knew he was falling.

-PAST-

Molly brought out a plate of biscuits and drinks for her grand and great grandkids. Placing them on the table after handing one to Ava still on her grandfather's lap, she settled next to her husband. It took all her restraint not to hug each of them and cheer; this many grandkids meant her family came out of the war if not unscathed, at least alive.

Minerva, sitting next to the elder Weasleys shook her head mournfully. Somehow she could already feel the two sets of twins draining the color from her hair. With the exception of Ava, all of the future generation were sitting opposite the present, some looking quite nervous. And, Minerva felt her sanity slipping away along with her dreams of a peaceful future, as she noticed Al sitting next to a boy that could only be Draco Malfoy's son. And unless her eyes deceived her said boy was dating a Weasley girl.

The auburn haired woman rose first. Stopping in the middle of the room, she smiled shyly. "I'm Audrianna Mae Weasley but I go by Dría and I'm the daughter of Charles Weasley." Her warm brown eyes danced as she glanced at her father from under long lashes. "Well, I'm the oldest out of all the family groups, eldest of the eldest." Several raised eyebrows made her explain. "Bill's kids, Fred's kids, Harry's kids etc. those are the individual groups. I'm my father's eldest, but I'm also older than all my cousins who are eldest in their groups. Makes keeping peace easier when you have a system worked out. I'm responsible for my group and everyone in general. The others are each responsible for their individual families. There are several things you won't like or will be surprised by and I am not above silencin' the lot of y'all if someone gets out of hand. Oh and let's see… Oh! Uncle Ron indentified the key."

Harry nodded very few people knew the details of his first year. Molly's mouth dropped open as she starred at her second eldest. He had settled down, or at least enough to become a father.

Charlie's face was becoming an unknown shade of red. Upon seeing this, Dría skipped over to him and pecked him on the cheek. "Hi Daddy." She grinned wickedly as Charlie began to splutter.

Chuckling, Bill slapped his brother on the back, whispering, "So did we miss the wedding or am I going to have to keep Mum from killing you?"

Charlie looked at his brother confused, "how the hell should I know? If she has been conceived, I don't know about it."

The next to stand was one of the girls who had run through the living room earlier. Her mass of curls had been tied up and her blue eyes were cautious. "Maddelyn Grace Potter. I prefer Maddie. Obviously Harry is my father. Ava Potter is my daughter. Her half-brother, my three month old son is Daniel Potter." She motioned to Daniel, who was sleeping happily in Vikki's arms. "Aunt Hermione stole from Snape's potion cabinet in second year."

Fred and George turned towards Hermione, mouths open. "You did?"

She nodded, "Right after Harry threw a firework into Malfoy's cauldron." Molly frowned. It seemed she was going to get a backlist of should have been grounded or had detention. Mentally she put two marks under Hermione and Harry's name for the polyjuice potion and the theft. Harry and Ron received a mental mark for sneaking into the Slytherin common room. Ron received a second mark for his part in the polyjuice.

Charlie felt himself relax; Maddie looked about the same age as Dría. Harry would not be having kids anytime soon. He had at least two years.

A man with bright teal hair and hazel eyes stepped forward next. "My name's Teddy Remus Lupin. I'm the son of Remus and not a werewolf." Teddy grinned as his father who looked as though he had been clubbed over the head. He ruffled his hair, reminding Remus of James, at least until he cycled through the color wheel. "And obviously, Tonks is my Mum."

Tonks unable to stop herself threw herself at him, hugging him tightly.

"Can't breathe mum." She released him, and returned to her seat, lacing her fingers through Remus'. "And last school year for the present time generation, someone started the rumor that Uncle Harry has a tattoo of a horntail over his heart and that Uncle Ron has a pygmy puff."

Fred and George snorted in amusement, it sounded like Ginny's handiwork. Molly, however, was less amused as she glared at her youngest sons. "Ronald Bilius, Harry James…"

"I don't!" Harry yelped in a slight panic, "They were just trying to piss off Romilda Vane Mrs. Weasley..."

"Actually Daddy," called his red head daughter sweetly, "You do in the future. You have like nine tattoos. The dragon guarding you heart is for Mum. You have one for the Grandpa James, Grandma Lily, Sirius, Uncle Remus and Aunt Dora. There's another commemorating the fallen in the war, it's a phoenix rising from the ashes on your left shoulder. You have a wolf on your left upper arm with a butterfly on its ear for Maddie. Under the phoenix you have a Lily for me. James has the Chinese symbols for chaos and destruction and Siri has a snake wrapped around your wrist. Al has some weird runic design that only you, him and probably Mum understand."

Hermione grinned at Harry's shocked expression, "That's kind of sweet Harry."

Harry never considered getting ink but apparently he had. He wondered if Ginny had any and where. That would be… quite a pleasant picture. Something permanently etched, marking her as his. Merlin knows with Ginny the dragon was also a possessive move to mark him as hers, not that he was complaining.

"Wounded!" Cried George snapping Harry out of his fantasy, "I'm wounded; he has one for some faceless woman but not us?"

"I'm sure you're nowhere near as gorgeous as my wife so… no I most certainly don't," Harry drawled and the twins blinked in surprise.

"Maybe Lily picked it up from her Daddy and not Snape," muttered Fred. "Next!"

A blond with brown eyes stepped forward, her nephew drooling on her shoulder. "No commotion," she told her cousins sternly. "I'll fill you in after dinner. Victorie Apolline Lupin. I'm the daughter of Bill and Fleur Weasley and wife of Teddy Lupin." Her siblings and cousins continued to make various noises of surprise, while Alice felt her stomach clench. Which name would she use to introduce herself? "Maman you were attracted to Daddy because of his earring and the fact he did not let you being a vela influence him, at least not as badly as Uncle Ron. You met during the tournament when Uncle Harry had to compete and Grandmum and Daddy went to support him. And Uncle Harry of course had the ridiculous notion there would be no one in the room for him that day."

Harry felt himself turn red as his niece shook her head. "It was a new concept to me," he muttered. Molly Weasley frowned. Did Harry really believe he was not one of hers?

Another girl stepped forward, taking the attention off of her uncle, a familiar wicked grin in place. "Roxanne Jeanette Weasley," she said dramatically as she took a bow. Warm brown eyes danced wickedly as she surveyed the room. "Call me Roxie. I'm the daughter of George Weasley and prankster extraordinaire," she finished with a flourish. Thick and silky black hair framed her caramel face. Her brown eyes danced as her father and his twin glanced at each other and their girlfriends. "And Dad used to have a crush on Aunt Katie but Uncle Oliver beat him to the punch."

"Really?" Angelina asked, staring at her abashed boyfriend who shrugged in response. Angelina shook her head, "Continue."

"Sure thing Mum." Fred said happily ignoring the hisses of "idiot!" "Fredrick Michael Weasley, Roxie's twin. Call me Freddie to avoid confusion with Uncle Fred." The boy had curly black hair and brown eyes like his sister but her complexion was darker than his. After receiving a nod, Angelina smacked George, "Did you really have to name our son after your brother? Are the Weasley genes alone not enough trouble?"

"That's not nearly as bad as what Uncle Harry did. Aunt…" his next words were muffled as a pale hand covered his mouth.

"Really Freddie, twenty whole minutes? Good thing we don't trust you with the vital secrets. Tell your fact. And Freddie, if you're reduced to this to prank my father you're losing your touch." The black haired girl that had been homicidally running through the living room backed up, grinning at her cousin's incredulous look.

"I'm **not** losing my touch. Dad and Uncle Fred got their start up money from Uncle Harry."

Harry shrugged as several people looked at him like he truly lost his mind, "It was the tournament money. I certainly did not want it nor need it. And despite all they had a solid business strategy and good product. I certainly make enough off of the 30% ownership they insisted on."

Several people shook their heads but Harry just looked at his daughter. "Sirianna Renee Potter. I go by Siri." She flicked her black and red streaked hair over her shoulder. "This one is why Mum questions your sanity… or if you had been more wasted then you'd admit Daddy." She gestured to her twin.

Al snorted, "Certainly true but widely known Siri."

"Fine then how about… Grandma you showed Daddy how to get on the platform and then scolded Uncle Fred and George for wanting to know if he remembered what Voldemort looked like. Then Uncle Ron asked anyways." Molly added another tally to Ron.

The red head that likely was on the verge of being murder earlier that afternoon stepped forward with a proud grin. "James Sirius Potter, twin to Siri."

"And just like his ego was too big to fit on the same day, he also felt the need to look nothing alike," called Siri. James, unlike his sister, had the Weasley red hair and brown eyes but no freckles. "Dad, you and Uncle Ron broke into the Slytherin dorms as second years while Auntie Hermione was feeling a bit catty." Hermione gave him a look but James just grinned. "And for the record, if this is my fault it was indirectly so because all I was doing was running from the three evil ones."

Lilly slammed her heel down on her brother's foot before smiling sweetly.

The next to step forward was fidgeting with her customary plait. Blue-gray eyes looked around nervously for a moment before hardening. She would not hurt her husband by denying him. "Allyson Krishna Potter. Neville's my dad and Jamie is my husband."

Maddie laughed, "Did I miss the memo saying half the family was eloping or what?"

"Oh, leave them be Maddie. I think it's sweet and it's not like Uncle Harry, Uncle Neville or Uncle Bill are going to object," called one of the yet unnamed kids.

Ally shook her head a smile on her face. "Uncle Harry, you realized you loved my mother-in-law when you saw her making out with her current boyfriend and wanted to beat the crap out of him."

Ginny hid a grin, she was pretty positive that was when she had been making out with Dean. Harry was cute when he got all possessive. Ally sat back down and James wrapped an arm around her grinning happily. Ginny felt her breath catch, that was her smile.

The one who had scolded Maddie stepped forward. "Mirianna Elizabeth Weasley, daughter of Fred Weasley and Alicia." Her black hair was twisted into a bun, and her black and purple bangs swept across her forehead obscuring pale blue eyes. She was by far the Weasley with the darkest complexion and lightest eyes. "I prefer Mirí. Uncle Bill snuck Aunt Ginny into some of the tombs Grandmum did not want her to go into after her first year."

Molly added a column for Bill.

Another red head, this one with gray eyes stepped forward. "Charlotte Antoinette Weasley. Second daughter of Charles Weasley," she said with a grin waving at her rapidly paling father. "I prefer Chara." Her red hair hung in spirals framing her face. Her gray eyes were wide with innocence as she gave her father a kiss on the cheek.

"Two kids…" Charlie muttered to himself as his mother beamed.

"He actually settles down? He has someone other than his dragons?" Molly asked her granddaughter. She had always worried he would die alone but apparently she did not have to worry anymore.

"Yes Grandmum," laughed Chara, "Daddy marries Mum. She's a dragon tamer too. They met in Romania when she transferred to the preserve from Russia. And a fact: One of Uncle Fred and George's telescopes gave Aunt Hermione a black eye in sixth year." Hermione shoot a glare at the twins; that had not been funny and certainly should not have become a family story. "Al you're up."

"I've already introduced myself, Chara."

"Full name?" She asked with raised eyebrows, "because I haven't heard any screaming yet and Uncle Ron is still looking at Uncle Harry like he's sane so…"

Al rolled his eyes. "It's a perfectly good name," he defended, "and no Uncle Ron, Dad was sober when he named me. My name is Albus Severus Potter, named after the bravest man my father knew. And Aunt Hermione punched Draco in third year right before Buckbeak's execution that never happened."

Everyone from the past was staring at either Harry, who shifted uncomfortably, or a red faced Hermione. "It's not like I know what Snape did," muttered Harry to Ron who was gesturing wildly as his mouth open and closed but produced no sound. Hermione shrugged as her favorite teacher narrowed her eyes. Molly added another tick despite the fact Draco had probably deserved it.

"Harry, Harry, Harry," said the twins mournfully, shaking their heads, "We are so disappointed…" started Fred.

"…For full impact you should have…"

"… named him Severus Albus."

George started to add on to it but found he could not open his mouth. "No more talkin'." Ava giggled from her Grandpa's lap as she made a motion of locking her lips shut. "I hungry."

"Ava," muttered Maddie, "that's not nice. What have I told you about using magic on the family?" Ava pouted as Maddie reversed the spell on her Uncles. She glanced around for the next person to introduce themselves, finding him shifting nervously behind the rest of the family. "Come on Scorp, you're up."

The blond straighten his spine, rising from the couch and moving forward with an air of confidence. He could do this… he hoped.

"It's alright," Harry told the blond. "If the kids trust you, your fine." The boy's eyes darted to Ron. "I won't let any of them do anything. Can't control the Weasley temper though." Harry smiled and so did the blond as he relaxed.

"Thanks, Uncle Harry," responded Scorpius shocking the room into silence. Malfoy's son calling Harry uncle that was… well the twins were convinced it was a sign of the end of days. "My name is Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy." Tonks winced and the blond nodded his sympathy, "I know our whole family was out of their mind when they named us, but at least you have a couple of decent nick names, I'm just all around screwed. Any way Draco is my father, Astoria Greengrass is my mum. And for the record Uncle Ron," Scorpius directed to the flummoxed red head, "you, Uncle Harry, Uncle Blaise, Uncle Neville and Dad are friends. You go out drinking and to sports games together all the time. Uncle Ron beat Aunt Minnie's chess set by sacrificing himself and Aunt Hermione beat Uncle Sev's logic puzzle to get through the fires."

Molly Weasley's eyebrows shot up. Clearly the trio would need to outline the last six years day by day for her to set the appropriate punishment. She glared at Minerva, who had failed to inform her of what exactly Ron had done let alone the other two. Minerva pointedly looked at the wall.

Ron's face took on a peculiar shade of green as he considered the idea of being friends with Malfoy let alone an uncle to his son. Harry on the other hand was smiling. When Draco had hesitated, before the door open and the other death eaters appeared, he had considered Dumbledore's offer. After their last encounter in the bathroom he had hope Draco was switching sides; no sixteen year old should throw away their future for their father and the supposed status of their family.

"Besides Daddy," said Rose, "he's my boyfriend." Ron stared open mouthed. His daughter… was dating Malfoy's son. He did not know whether to cry, laugh hysterically, or go on a killing spree.

"My name is Rose Leah Weasley, only daughter of Ron Weasley. He realizes mum's a girl next year when she grabs him and snogs him. You had to remind them there was a war going on Uncle Harry." Ron turned red.

"Next," called Ron as his brothers laughed.

"That's me. I'm Katie or rather Katherine Jade Weasley, second and final daughter of Fred." She was as dark as Mirí but her hair was a dark chestnut color as were her eyes. "There really was a dragon Aunt Minnie, she's named Norberta and Uncle Charlie's friends smuggled her out."

Charlie received a mental mark along with Harry and Hermione. How was it only the twins and Ginny were getting of punishment?

"Luis Arthur Weasley. Bill's third and final kid." Bill raised an eyebrow, when had his second kid been announced? "Dominique's not here Dad. She was… out with friends." His pause was almost nonexistent as was his glance towards Vikki but the tension surrounding the kids was palpable. Harry started to ask but stopped as Teddy and Vikki shook their heads subtly. "Aunt Gabby had a huge crush on Uncle Harry for ages."

"Aww, does ickle harrikins have a girlfriend?" teased Fred.

A curly brown haired boy huffed, interrupting the twins' teasing, "Can we hurry up? I'm hungry and we still have to make dinner." There were several laughs, shakes of the head and a yell of "Ron's" from one of the twins. "I'm Hugo David Weasley, son of Ron. Aunt Ginny pulled the prank that changed everyone's skin color including the teachers and let the twins take the credit. Come on Lils."

Molly sighed, only the twins were escaping punishment. The twins glanced at their sister with pride.

The next moved forward, her red hair was flipped over her shoulder as she moved forward, warm hazel eyes dancing. "Lily Luna Potter, youngest of Harry's five, and obviously the sweetest." There were several snorts and a mutter "only if you don't piss her off." She glared before smiling sweetly again. "Professor Slughorn was indirectly involved in Ginny and Dean's breakup."

There were several snickers from the future generation at that. Uncle Harry was so hopeless a potion got him the girl. Harry avoided looking at Ginny as he realized what they meant; the day he went to see Slughorn after taking the potion. It had been his hand on Ginny's back not Dean's.

"How on earth was a professor involved in my break up?"

A strawberry blonde stepped forward, quick to stop the questioning. This Uncle Harry probably could not take on five Weasley brothers plus Grandpa. "I'm Molly Michelle Weasley. And before you get all huffy my father realizes he's an ass, comes back before the final battle and saves Uncle Fred. Call me Shellie to avoid confusion with grandmum. The old Angelina saved Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron in the forbidden forest when they followed the spiders."

Harry now had five marks and Ron five-four if he had nothing to do with Norberta, which she doubted.

Several eyes widened and the elder Molly covered her heart with one hand, wiping at the tears with another. "Percy comes back. And names his daughter after me?"

"Yep," cried a small red head boy. "I'm Anthony Charles, Tony, and the last of Charlie's kids. And also very, very, hungry. Uncle Ron got bit by Norberta and tried to pass it off as a dog bite." Tony shook his head at his Uncle's very weak lie.

"I'm the baby of the group, Lucy Anne Weasley, Percy and Audrey's other daughter. Uncle Harry is a really good cook! Now come on Uncle Harry, dinner time!"

"Ya'll are oddly happy to be eating Harry's cooking. Surely he's not that good of a cook," Fred stated in a questioning voice.

"Uncle Harry's food is as good and sometimes better than Grandma's," Hugo announced loudly. "I think that is why Granma won't give him the treacle tart recipe."

Harry's face fell comically causing several coughing fits. Shaking his head, Harry turned to his eldest, "I highly doubt you grandmother has enough to feed all of you. Maddie do you…"

"Know how to use a credit card? Of course I do! I could live as a muggle if I had to Dad." She told him with a roll of her eyes, holding out her hand. "I am going to need a list."

Harry was already scribbling on a piece of parchment. Doing the math quickly, about 4 burgers a pound 38 people, most would eat one and Ron might manage two… Merlin that was at least ten pounds of ground beef. Good thing there was magic and plenty of helping hands not to mention plenty of money in his account. If they had a family meal with the other 16 grand kids that were not blood and the parents and Charlie's spouse and Percy and his wife… bloody hell that was over 50 people, He shook his head. The onions, lettuce, tomatoes and vegetables he could get from the garden. There were no pickles though so he added two jars of them, condiments- dressing, ranch, mayo, ketchup, mustard- and 7 packs of buns. Remembering his promise to make spaghetti, he also added another five pounds of ground beef, a pound of pork, twenty packs of pepperoni, five large boxes of spaghetti and a dozen cans of tomato paste and stewed tomatoes. "That should cover it. Take a couple of your uncles."

"Dad, I'm twenty two," Maddie huffed, folding her arms across her chest.

Harry shook his head, as stubborn as her mother. "And this period is not safe. Take your uncles." He held her glare daring her to contradict him on the technicality of her being older and not his… yet.

"Fine. Uncle Charlie, Uncle Fred, Uncle George, would you come with me please so my paranoid father won't freak out about his daughter that is 5 years older than him walking into the market?" The sparkle in her eye took all snap out of her words. The men grumbled playfully as they rose.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~DW~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The darkness was lifting bringing an increase to the pounding in her head. Her whole body felt like it had been tossed off a waterfall or down the side of a cliff. The sound of familiar voices met her ears; Harry. "Uncle Harry," she cried her voice hoarse, as she forced her eyes open. The Burrow? When did they get to the Burrow? Forcing herself up, pain flared through her lower abdomen. It hurt so badly and she was wet. Why was she wet?

She looked down, and wanted to scream. Blood. She was sitting in a pool of blood that was soaking through her jeans. The pounding in her head grew worse as she tried to reach the door, her scream silenced by the dryness of her mouth and throat. "Uncle Harry," she rasped, reaching for the handle. "Siri, Maddie, help." Al's voice rang through the house as she dragged herself up using the dresser. She reached for the handle, managing to turn it. Falling to her knees she pulled herself into the hallway. She just had to make the stairs. The floor behind her was turning crimson as she pulled herself across the wood. She was not going to lose her child! Dominique pulled herself up, using the railing. The world around her spun, and the edges became dark and blurred. Her eyes rolled up into her head, and she fell, her wrist slamming against the rail.

Downstairs nobody heard.


End file.
